jules39

Yes Kathie I hope the LP gets here soon!! I did take a look at your bookshelf. Thanks. I already had a couple of the books & will no doubt be ordering some of the others.

Luisah

<<My Lonely Planet book got sidetracked somewhere in delivery so I am still without it which is driving me crazy!>>

I have the LP from my local library.

jules39

I tried that Luisah & they didn't have it!

thursdaysd

"I tried that Luisah & they didn't have it!" - how about your local bookstore? Can you camp out there with a cup of coffee? My local library seems to be economizing - all the guidebooks are at least two or three years old. And would you believe Citi just charged me a foreign conversion fee for buying from Lonely Planet!!! They seem to think it's based in the UK! (If it wasn't for those FF miles...)

Burmatrails

Hi I agree with most postings . Inle Lake is absolutely lovely, all Myanmar enchanting. My favourite country as most Burmese are very gracious n genuinely warm.

I went with my sister n a pal from UK stayed @ Inle Resort.It was blissfully quiet on the eastern side with nice sunsets,20 mins boating from Nyaung Shwe. No tour groups and a few small groups of French n US guests as we went mid Dec'09. We had 2d villas twin beds n other a double with a separate lounge all nicely decorated with local handicrafts n paintings. Built by Princess resort owner then sold to a Myanmar or Thai business not Tay. Will dig up the website if interested.

Highlight of our trip was the excursion to Samkar,southern part of Inle Lake <2 hours from Nampan-we collected our charming Pao guide there. The journey ,the places,scenery & people there were amazing n enlightening to say the least. After that we went to the silk weavers to get some presents. We avoided the floating markets(touristy) as I hate crowds. we visited 1 of the rotating 5 day markets @ Mine Thauk n it was very interesting n colourful,bought Inle grass cushions 2/3 for 1000kyat for our patio !!

We're planning to come back to Inle/Samkar again this year, visit diferent rotating markets n new sites eg Mrauk U. Once you visit these people/places you'll get hooked ! Started in'06 just to Yangon n been back every year with differing pals n relatives.

Enjoy
.

jules39

Well my head has been buried in the guide book for a couple of days now so I am beginning to feel like I am getting a handle on things!

Just read over on the LP thorntree that visas may be available on arrival for everyone now. Their agent in Yangoon told them & someone else gave this link http://irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=18374

jules39

a

Kathie

jules, note this isn't a true visa on arrival that is being discussed, but a pre-arranged visa. You can arrange though travel agents. This has apparently been true on and off for some time, but hasn't been reliable in the past.

jules39

Yes thats what I understoon kathie. Would be nice if it got to be super reliable though.

Robbietravels

Santa Maria Travel has sent me the packet of info. There does seem to be a new system. The title of the information page is "Myanmar Visa on Arrival, subtitel: New System begun to practice from 01 May 2010". After describing the ports of entry and visa requirements (photos, time remaining on passport, etc), there is a heading "Administrative Body" saying "There will be an administrative body of eight officers from various government ministries comprising immigration, Foreign Affairs, Special Police, Defense, Hotel & Tourism and Aviation. This administrative body will be led by a deputy director from immigration, Manpower and National Registration. The Myanmar visa on-arrival will be issued or rejected by a team of 15 officers as determined by the administrative body"[sic]

The new visa app is only one page instead of two and does not ask about work history or previous Burma visas approved or rejected as did the visa app you had to send in to the Embassy of the Union of Myanmar in DC. It is much more user friendly. I've conjured up several motive scenarios for this streamlined app.

I just tried to attach it here but no luck. If someone needs a copy, post your email address and I'll send it to you.

Kathie

Robbie or Jules, if you decide to use it, do let us all know how it goes. I've followed discussions of this for years over on Thorntree and many people would love to see this become a reliable way to get a visa.

ArtsyJudi

What does unreliable in the past mean? I don't want trouble entering Burma, though I'm always happy to have less paperwork. I've been planning on applying through the embassy in a few days for my visit this July.

jules39

INLE LAKE; Didn't know if I should start another thread on this or not. I will start here & see how I go! I am looking at different places to stay around the lake. Have decided I don't really mind where it is located (as in east or west). What I am wondering is how do you get to all of the places. Do you have to take a boat from Nyaungshwe to each of the places on the lake? I know I have read of some that it is about an hours boat ride to the hotel. Others 20 mins? Does anyone know of some that have some villages within walking distance? I am getting so confused as a lot of the names are simialar! The place Kathie stayed at looks lovely. I am sure we would like that. There was also a recent post with someone following up on where they stayed at the Pristine Lotus which also sounds like it would be great. I know I am thinking about this too much! I am attempting to avoid govt owned places. Not sure of the Pristine Lotus status on this. So any comments on location & the boat ride to get there would be good. By the way I am not objecting to the boat ride I am just trying to get my bearings! Thanks so much.

Burmatrails

Hi,will add my input too, my Yangon agent said to wait n see,yesterday.
Anyway I have done VOA with him for us as there were no Myanmar embassy in Greece Nov'08. I went a day earlier n rendezvous with my 2 Greek pals in Yangon. I wanted to try out VOA then just in case any problems crop up as this was their 1st trip n their husbands n friends said they were crazy to come ! My agent met me @ the Immigration counter, took my passport etc to go inside their offices,I waited 10 mins then all is OK. All he needed was a photocopy of my Passport to process. So if you have a tour plan they agent will fill up the forms for you. So next day I went to airport with agent n same procedure was repeated for my pals.

Usually we have to fill 3 forms n paste our mug shots to them, also get our company letter if you are still working ,go in the morning,queque n wait 30 mins or more asked why you're going then wait 3 working days (no exceptions !) to pick up in the 4th afternoon.But we had to give then 2-3 weeks because they had to travel to the new capital Nap... to ptocess this.Also sometimes they make mistakes n get flight times wrong/ day .Pls check n confirm the plan they send back.

Kathie

Jules, re: Inle Lake Plan that you will be in and out of the boat all day each day you are at Inle (except the day you go to Kakku). Basically, all the places you want to see (villages, temples, stupa forests) are all along lake and the lake is the best transportation (roads are awful to non-existent in many of these areas). Some hotels do require a boat trip to get there from the airport, The Inle Lake View does not (an advantage, IMO). The Prisitne Lotus is owned by the same guy who owns the Aureum, a crony of the generals. I tried to avoid places he owned.

If you stayed at Nyaungshwe, you'd be in a town, but you'd still have to get a boat to visit any of the places on the lake, which is what you want to see.

jules39

Thanks for the info Kathie. We are definately planning on being out on the lake all day most day. I was more thinking about arrival & departure days, whether it is a boat transfer to the so you covered that for me. I am getting my bearings now. Thanks also for the info on the Lotus it is the sort of thing I want to know.

jules39

I am at that stage of research that I am starting to think "am I getting it all right"!
Hotels. Trying to stay in non govt places I using the LP as a guide for that but then I did a search on one web site that said something about the hotel being govt owned. There was no mention of this in LP. I have been in touch with Santa Maria who have been great in responding. I was under the impression that they promote the use of "private" hotels but do see that they have some hotels on their web site that folks here have mentioned they found out had govt affiliations. (eg the hotel Craig stayed in in Bagan)I have been using their list of hotels as a resource. So...do I just plug on & ask Santa Maria if the hotels are privately operated. Likewise I am assuming that Santa Maria is as they say a private company...I am beginning to obsess aren't I??!! I know several of you have used Santa Maria & have been very happy with them as have others on other sites & I have had some great input from them so far.

Would appreciate any input any of you have.

Apart from my obsessions!! I am having a great time planning so fingers crossed it all comes together.

Thanks J

Kathie

Yes, Santa Maria is privately owned. But they will put you in any hotel you want. The Aureum group is privately owned, but by Tay Za, a crony of the Generals. The LP is a good resource on private vs. gov't owned, and they also point out those that are owned by Tay Za (who also owns Bagan Air). Even I had to concede that the government was going to get more of my money than I'd like... be conscientious but don't have the illusion you can be perfect.

dogster

Let me ruminate, jules... you know this is not an attack.

Apart from the one on one arrangements you can make, like Kathy's with her horse-cart driver, I frankly don't think any decisions you make will do anything but make you feel good. With the greatest respect for your motives, I simply don't think any of us know enough to make any decisions based on Govt/private. etc. Unless you're in a guest-house, I suspect anywhere upmarket will have issues.

I say, I suspect, because I don't really know. Neither does anyone. Research all you like, but, given the paucity of actual information about ANYTHING in Burma, I'm wondering just how we think we're gonna find out about the finances of any instituion.

I don't believe that anywhere dealing with tourists [en masse] in Burma is free from Govt. kick-back, intrigue, graft, taxes and corruption. [Not unlike Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam...] Do we imagine that Santa Maria doesn't have to deal with the Govt? Or anyone else, for that matter. Are there taxes in Burma? Special presents? Kick-backs? Do we imagine that our trusty guides have no contact with the Govt? Err - where did they train to be a guide? When you go to Kakku, do you really think that sweet local guide is just that...? Maybe you should read his report about you, the one he has to write at the end... I dunno. All I know is that I dunno.

Kathie's advice is spot on. I think we kid ourselves if we think we'll achieve anything more. This mangy butterfly has been flapping his wings frantically in that PC forest for years, hoping for critical mass... to no avail. My wings are tired.

So don't YOU start flapping as well. Conserve that energy.

jules39

Great thanks so much to both of you! Dog you hit the nail on the head with what I was thinking I just needed you & Kathie to confirm it for me! My wings are tucked in & onward I go! I think yesterday I read too many articles/web sites about what I "should" do! After a nights sleep & the responses from you both I am back to feelin informed & making choices based on lots of things & feeling good about that!